What Bed Sheets are Best for Winter?

When it comes to winter bedding, it's important to customise the items on your bed to maximise your comfort every season. Traditionally, the bed sheets that lend themselves to the cold season beyond all others are flannelette sheets. But if you've found yourself waking up too warm with these or don't really love the feel of brushed cotton fabric, let us break down the different options we recommend, according to your climate and internal body temperature.

Firstly, assess how easily you stay warm vs how much you feel the cold. Historically, if you notice that it doesn't matter what sheets you use in winter, you always feel cold, we recommend looking at investing in warmer bedding options, like an extra thick polyester fill quilt, or adding a couple of woolen blankets to your setup. We also recommend flannelette sheets in this case, as they are typically warmer to the touch during cold seasons than any other sheet type. As flannelette sheets are made from cotton fibres, they also breathe - which means they retain warmth without getting sweaty, like polyester sheets are prone to.

An alternative to flannelette you may prefer is cotton jersey sheets. Made to feel like the fabric of a well-loved t-shirt, these sheets are super soft and breathe in the same way flannelette sheets do. The difference is that they are made from a blend of 70% cotton fibres and 30% Tencel, meaning it absorbs moisture faster (keeping you dry in case you overheat and start to sweat) and is that little bit more resistant to bacteria growth, keeping your bed fresher for longer.

If you notice you tend to run warm, even during winter months, then try opting for an all-seasons sheet type, like our bamboo-cotton range. Bamboo cotton sheets are a blend of some of the best sheet fibres, with all the temperature regulating capabilities of bamboo and the strength and durability of cotton. Be warned, these sheets tend to be cool to the touch due to their silky smooth fabric - so if that's something you wish to avoid, or don't use an electric blanket to pre-emptively warm up your bed, then keep on reading.

Traditional 100% cotton sheet styles are also cool to the touch during cold seasons, but warm up fairly quickly with your body heat, and can stay warm on their own for a fair amount of time. They are also a great choice for all-season sheets, as many people enjoy the look and feel of a cotton sheet, which can easily emulate a hotel bed vibe. These are a great option if you find you don't like the silky feel of bamboo cotton blends, and flannelette sheets are proving too warm for you.

For those that find themselves feeling cold very easily in winter, and never or rarely overheat, then a poly-cotton or synthetic fibre sheet is typically the recommended option. Synthetic fibres don't naturally breathe the way organic fibres do, and as a result, they can get hot... and stay hot! We prefer thicker cotton sheets as an alternative, as no one enjoys getting sweaty in their sheets, especially when the sheets stay sweaty (which synthetic fibres often do).

If you've felt and or tried all the above options, the last option that leaves to try is linen sheets. As a durable fabric, linen is excellent for breathability and is typically warmer to the touch at room temperature than traditional cotton sheets. Linen is also a heavier fabric, and compared to lightweight blends like bamboo cotton or satin sheets, the heavier weight can sometimes make the sheets feel warmer to the user. People that use linen sheets all year 'round typically love the look and feel, but its important to note that linen sheets from different brands can vary in their softness. As a rougher natural fibre, linen sheets need to be softened during the manufacturing process, but the best part about them is that they continue to soften with each wash over time.

At the end of the day, the sheets you choose to buy and use during winter will largely depend on your personal fabric preferences, and the other elements you have on your bed. The way a bamboo-cotton feels with a feather and down quilt is going to feel vastly different to a linen sheet with a woolen blanket and a polyester quilt. We recommend testing out how your quilt or comforter (or even your blanket stack if that's the way you prefer to sleep!) on its own, and then deciding if you need to aid warmth, maintain the temperature, or cool it down. Alternatively, if you prefer a bed without a top sheet, then look at our fitted sheet and sheet set options, choosing what even feels best against your skin.